- Here's some smart ways to take your riding to the next level.
Whether you've been doing it for years
or you're brand new to the sport of mountain biking
there's something here to help you improve
and progress your skills.
Let's take a look.
The modern mountain bike is an amazing piece of equipment.
Millions of pounds have been spent
developing these radical bikes and this tip
is about putting that development to work for you.
Now the tendency to stiffen up when riding is easy to do.
If you're uncomfortable or stressed about a line
then you cramp up and hold tight
feels like the safest thing to do.
However, if you ride in a relaxed position
let the bike move underneath you
then, you gonna have more control
and more importantly you're gonna be letting that bike
do the work.
I've seen this so much in other riders
but I rarely recognise it in myself
but of course, I've definitely done it.
Looking at the wrong thing on the trail
is always gonna end badly.
So, pedalling along, staring down at your gears
means your attention is not where it's meant to be.
Simply telling yourself to look ahead
is a great mantra.
The other common mistake
is looking at thing you want to avoid
instead of where you want to go.
So don't get distracted by that gnarly log or that rock.
Concentrate on the line on the turn you want to nail.
Your head will lead the way.
It's really easy to get carried away
when you're out on a ride
battle with mates or self-inflicted pressure
based on what you think other people expect of you
well, it's a route to bad decisions.
You're much better staying within your limits.
Having that attitude and confidence to do that
is really important.
The moment you let other people dictate your riding
or worse, your ego take over, well, danger awaits.
Ride for you. It's safer it's more fun
and you're calling the shots.
This can go either way really.
Too many clothes is a common mistake
but so is too little.
The trick is to plan your ride and to understand
the weather that's predicted on your route.
Now if you're unsure, layers is probably the way to go
but make sure you've got something to put them in
because you might need to strip back.
Now if we've got quantity sorted
the next bit's even more important:
the clothing needs to be suitable.
The helmet needs to fit.
You cannot wear flip-flops.
And if the weather looks like that it could close in
then something waterproof is a probably a good idea.
Now this is all common sense really
but it sucks when you get this decisions wrong.
So plan your ride and think ahead.
Riding conservatively at times is not a bad thing
but there are definitely moments where speed
or an attacking nature
is gonna help get you through the trail
with more flow and consistency
than riding with caution.
These elements tend to be things like short, sharp climbs
or rocky, rooty elements, steep turns.
Keeping a really great rhythm
and fast pedalling motion
is gonna take you through those elements on the trail
and make you progress easier.
Another thing people do is they sit down too much.
Now it might initially feel like you're saving energy
but actually it's stopping you have that attacking nature
we're talking about.
So if you sit down a lot on the trail
or you're resting too much
don't be surprised if the odd rock or root slows you down.
Don't spend hours fretting over the decision
to take over a particular line or jump on the trail.
Just do the practise the terrain or the skill requires.
Taking small steps when that's all the next big jump hits
is a small step in your progress
that you took with confidence.
If you don't out in the time
then you're essentially relying on basic assumptions
and more worryingly, a large dose of luck
and that is not good.
Ever bonked out on a trail?
- [Man] All the time Martin.
- It's not as rude as it sounds.
In fact most riders have done it at some point or another.
This referring to that moment where you got your nutrition
or your hydration wrong.
So basically, you run out of fuel on your ride
and you're relying on what's stored in your body
to get you home.
Goes without saying really, once it runs out
you are knackered.
So to cover that make sure you take some gels out with you
and some snacks
and keep the nutrition coming through your ride.
Every bike, nearly every bike
has got a water bottle on it.
There's no excuse not to have water with you on your ride.
So a few gulps every 10 to 15 minutes
is gonna stop you from going boom.
A helmet goes without saying doesn't it?
Amazingly though, there are riders out there
who still go out without a helmet and if you do that
you're signing yourself up to some serious danger.
Also consider elbow and knee pads.
They can make a huge difference to your riding career
so don't be frightened of spending some time and some money
getting those items right.
What about those padded shorts?
Now see, a little bit of protection on your backside
is not only gonna insure comfort
it's gonna insure little versions of yourself
are running around in the future.
So, it's not all about crash protection
the comfort side of things is really important.
In braking, not all things are equal.
The front brake is crucial out on the trail.
If you think about what happens
when you apply the front brake
your weight moves forward
and that means more grip down on the ground
and grip is crucial in braking.
The rear wheel doesn't have that so
you get that skidding motion
which actually doesn't slow you down that much.
The steeper the trail gets the more that happens
and the more vital your front brake control becomes.
So really think about that front brake
when you're out on the trail
use it wisely and use it well
your stopping power will vastly increase.
Thanks foe watching and I really hope some of those tips
improve your riding, if you want to continue that process
then why don't you click over there
for five essentials skills you can do anywhere.
And over here is seven pro set up tips.
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